Ramsay Health Care, Australia’s largest private hospital operator, has announced the appointment of Natalie Davis as its new CEO. Davis, who previously served as Managing Director of Woolworths Supermarkets in Australia, brings a wealth of experience in strategic transformation, customer focus, and growth to her new role.
Davis’s tenure at Woolworths was marked by impressive achievements. Leading a team of 130,000 employees across 1,000 sites, she successfully increased market share, sales, productivity, and team engagement. Her career prior to Woolworths includes 15 years at consultancy giant McKinsey & Co., where she advised on strategy and commercial transformation in both the UK and Australia.
Holding an MBA from INSEAD France and a Bachelor of Commerce and Law with Honours from the University of Sydney, Davis is also a member of Chief Executive Women. Her educational background and professional experience position her well to take the helm at Ramsay Health Care.
Davis expressed her enthusiasm for her new role, stating, “Ramsay makes a positive difference in the health and lives of millions of people in communities across Australia, Europe, and the UK. The company’s 60-year history is testament to the amazing teams who deliver the very best patient care. What truly excites me is the potential to build on that legacy, as we innovate for the future.”
Ramsay Health Care’s Chair, David Thodey, highlighted the thorough and competitive global selection process that led to Davis’s appointment. “In carefully weighing Ramsay’s performance and strategy, the Board made a conscious decision to select a proven and dynamic leader who has successfully mastered large-scale business transformation during periods of uncertainty and market disruption,” he said. Thodey praised Davis’s strategic outlook and experience in various markets, noting her suitability to accelerate Ramsay’s growth.
Thodey further emphasized Davis’s data-driven approach to understanding customer needs, her focus on digital innovation, and her record of operational excellence. “The Board is confident Natalie has the agility, energy, vision, and enterprise capability that are critical to achieving Ramsay’s goals and fuelling long-term shareholder value,” he added.
Davis is set to replace Craig McNally, the long-serving Managing Director and Group CEO. As she transitions into her new role at Ramsay, she leaves Woolworths at a time of significant change, with group boss Brad Banducci also concluding his tenure.
Banducci commended Davis for her leadership at Woolworths, saying, “For the last four years as Managing Director, Woolworths Supermarkets, Natalie has been a very purposeful leader and championed a number of initiatives that are key to our future, but her single biggest achievement has been the immense care she has shown for our team. We wish her every success in her new role.”